The Irish standard., 1887-01-29
CATHOLIC NEWS.
The Holy Face Of Alicante.
fFrom the Ave Maria.)

The Holy Face Of Alicante.
(From the Ave Maria)
During the 18th century Cardinal.
being obliged to stop at Alicante, Spain,
was received very cordially by Father
Peter Mena, with whom he stopped
till he could resume his journey to
italy. Some time afterwards the priest
had occasion to visit Rome, where he
met the prelate, with whom he STAYED
whilst he was in the Eternal City.
When he was about to take his depar-
ture. the Cardinal gave him veil on
which the face of Our Divine Lord was
painted, stating that the Holy Father
had once sent it to Venice when ansepi-
demic was raging in the city, and that
as soon as it was exposed to the venera-
ton of the people, the epidemic ceased.
Father Mena did not value the pic
ture very highly, and ON his return
home put it away in wardrobe. Shortly
afterwards he found the veil spread
out and lying on top of linens that had
covered it. He folded it up and put it
under the clothes, but second and a
tkird time he found it spread out in the
same manner, and he felt sure that
nobody could have touched it. Struck
by this unaccountable circumstance, he
remembered the remark of tho Car
dinal, and determined to expose the
picture to pulic veneration in the
Church of St. John.
In 1889 the town of Alicante and the
surrounding country being parched
from want of rain, Father Mena deter
mined to have the precious relic carried
in procession, which was done on
March II. The Holy Face was borne
by a priest of the Ord,r of st. Francis.
Father Villafranca. The procession
had traversed perhaps mile, when the
friar felt that the weight on his arms
was enormous, and that he could not
move his feet. He was at the time on a
slight elevation, and those near by saw
tear that flowed from the right eye of
the Holy Face and stood on the cheek
The people all fell prostrate, crying out
for mercy. 1t is related that amongst
the many witnesses of this wonder was
q young man of the Pasqual family,
who, to make sure of the fact, touched
the tear with his finger and in memory
of it, as we'll as out of respect, ever
afterwards wore silver thimble on the
finger. and had the name of Veronica
added to the family name, which is pre-
served even to this day by his descend
ants.
The people returned to the church.
and it was decided to haye another
more solemn procession on March Is, on
which day the clergy of the confrater
mites, the magistracy, and people of all
ranks in society, would join. The pro-
cession took its way towards the Mon
astery of the Holy Angels. Father
Benedict, holding the precious relic of
the Holy Face in both hands, ascended
pulpit erected under tree, and began
to exhort the people to confidence.
which would surely obtain from God
the rain so much desired. Suddenly a
heavy cloud darkened the clear sky
Father Benedict was raised in the air,
the black cloud was succeeded by lu
minous rays, and, above the picture,
two other similar representations OF
the Holy Face appeared. The people
fell prostrate at sight of this second
wonder, and the vision soon vanished.
the cloud assuming the form of a cross,
from which abundant rain fell, and
pre- served the crops.
On April of the same year pro-
cession of thanksgiving was formed !;
and it is related that, when the oficiat-
ing priest took the Holy Face in his
hands to offer it to the veneration Of
the people, a cross Of the colors Of the
rainbow was seen in the sky.
A church was built on the spot where
the first miracle took place, and there
the precious relic is still venerated.
Church Notes.